You Don't Have To Be Rich

1. You Are Richer Today
   Poet: Unknown
   
   You are richer today than you were yesterday
   if you have laughed often,
   given something,
   forgiven even more,
   made a new friend today, or
   made stepping stones of stumbling-blocks;
   if you have thought more in terms of “thyself” than of "myself" or
   if you have succeeded in being cheerful even if you were weary.
   
   You are richer tonight than you were this morning
   if you have taken time to trace the handiwork of God in the commonplace things of life, or
   if you have learned to count out things that really do not count, or
   if you have been a little blinder to the faults of friend or foe.
   
   You are richer if a little child has smiled at you,
   and a stray dog has licked your hand, or
   if you have looked for the best in others,
   and have given others the best in you.




2. Riches In Life
   Poet: Catherine Pulsifer
   
   What brings riches in life you say
   Is it money or just living every day?
   
   Are riches gained by having wealth
   Or is it just having your health?
   
   Is it living in a really big house
   Or is it a loving family and your spouse?
   
   These questions are legit
   Especially when you live on a budget.
   
   But the answers are clear
   Riches are gain and require you to hear:
   
   Riches in life are the simple things
   Like happiness that laughter brings.
   
   Friends and family give you more
   Then all the things you could buy at a store.
   
   Your attitude plays a big role
   How you look at life as a whole.
   
   Appreciating the things you have
   Rather than wishing for more and feeling sad.
   
   Focus on feeling content
   Rather than complaining, feeling lament.
   
   You see riches in life boil down to only you
   In what you say and what you do!




3. Richer When You Share
   Poet: Catherine Pulsifer
   
   You're richer when you share
   It shows others how much you care.
   You're richer when you help others
   A stranger, friends, family, even your brother.
   
   When you give your money away
   You could change someone's life in a day
   What you did yesterday
   Comes back to you in so many ways.
   
   When your stuff you do hoard
   When you see others who can't afford
   Don't close your eyes and be blind
   Helping others helps mankind.
   
   You will be richer in so many ways
   You will be glad when you look back at your days
   You will be richer in the end
   You will make an impact and many a friend.
   
   You see life is not about the stuff
   Life can be phony and full of fluff
   Be rich and find the rewards
   When you get to heaven you will get your award.




4. The Price of Riches
   Poet: Edgar A. Guest
   
   Nobody stops at the rich man's door to pass the time of day.
   Nobody shouts a "hello!" to him in the good old-fashioned way.
   Nobody comes to his porch at night and sits in that extra chair
   And talks till it's time to go to bed. He's all by himself up there.
   
   Nobody just happens in to call on the long, cold winter nights.
   Nobody feels that he's welcome now, though the house is ablaze with lights.
   And never an unexpected guest will tap at his massive door
   And stay to tea as he used to do, for his neighborly days are o'er.
   
   It's a distant life that the rich man leads and many an hour is glum,
   For never the neighbors call on him save when they are asked to come.
   At heart he is just as he used to be and he longs for his friends of old,
   But they never will venture unbidden there. They're afraid of his wall of gold.
   
   For silver and gold in a large amount there's a price that all men must pay,
   And who will dwell in a rich man's house must live in a lonely way.
   For once you have builded a fortune vast you will sigh for the friends you knew
   But never they'll tap at your door again in the way that they used to do.




5. What We Can Afford
   by Unknown
   
   There are many good things which we can all afford,
   regardless of our circumstances.
   
   We can all afford to give freely the best that we have,
   because in giving it we have it doubly.
   
   We can all afford to doubt a seeming injustice,
   because God's law is sure.
   
   We can all afford to be tolerant of the opinion of others,
   because, if we are growing, our opinions are certain to change.
   
   We can well afford to believe that which is good,
   because only the good is true.
   
   We can well afford a seeming sacrifice for the right,
   because any other side is a losing side.
   
   We can well afford any effort which adds to the richness of our inner life;
   because any good from without can reach us only through an affinity with the good we have cultivated within.
   
   We can well afford to be cheerful in apparent defeat,
   for we have not lost irreparably while we still have the spirit to cheer.
   
   Principles alone are enduring.
   Personality, appearance, mannerisms, all these change continually.
   
   Serving God is doing good to man.




6. Worth While
   Poet: Edgar A. Guest
   
   He doesn't care that I'm not rich,
   Or that I'm poorly dressed,
   That I'm a toiler in the ditch
   He hasn't even guessed.
   My faults that other people know
   He doesn't even see,
   For every night with eyes aglow
   He toddles up to me.
   
   Although I'm just a common dub,
   And ordinary clay,
   His cheek to mine he's glad to rub
   Before I go away;
   And every night when I return,
   He's glad as he can be.
   And though but little I may earn
   He toddles up to me.
   
   To come to me he'd leave a king.
   If one were sitting near.
   Unto no millionaire he'd cling
   If only I'd appear.
   And though but tattered rags are mine
   When I go home to tea
   With eyes that fairly beam and shine
   He'd toddle up to me.
   
   And so I've reason to be glad.
   And reason to rejoice.
   It's worth the world to be a dad.
   To be a baby's choice.
   There is no prize fame can bestow.
   No joy can ever be
   So real, as when, with eyes aglow.
   He toddles up to me.